The Eternal War.

Hate

Over the next month, a routine developed, I got the job at the cafe and it was as expected, a few people from college made it a big deal but they moved on. T kept coming there with Abhay and had a new excuse everyday to reject what we served, the manager soon knew it was best to assign her someone else.

Misha and I became the bestest of friends, I got to know Panchi and her boyfriend better, the play rehersals were postponed as the competition itself was postponed.

Kabir kept resilient in his efforts to date me, he would be very thoughtful about me, the compliments were endless. And his hate for Abhay kept increasing.

Abhay.

He managed to become even more mysterious somehow. He would disappear from college without an explanation, he wouldn't talk to anyone except T sometimes, who was the only one intrested in talking to him.

He had set up a sitting arrangement for himself, if the last bench was free he would sit there, if it was a combined class he would sit with T, if not he would sit beside me.

It shook me the first day.

"You'll sit here?" I asked not hiding my surprise.

"The rest of them talk too much, you are dumb and quite."

I didn't bother with him after that, he wasn't useless, if i didn't have a pen, he would quietly give me his black initial engraved pen that never seemed to run out of ink, just like he never ran out of rude remarks for me.

"I was wrong, you are not dumb and quite, just dumb." He said one day as I was catching up with Ruhi after class ended.

"Why do you keep doing this?" I burst out and stood up to leave and somehow managed to twist my ankle and fall back on the chair.

"You are PMSing" he snorted and I blushed he was right. He helped me up and put my arm around his shoulder so that I could hop to the nurses room.

"I hate you" I said and he laughed humourlessly

"How I wish that were true" he said sadly.

"Why would you say that?" I asked shocked and hurt.

"I don't have to explain everything to you do I?"

I didn't bother answering him.

"Your girlfriend will hate you for this." I said when we reached the office

He didn't reply, and simply helped me sit on the bed.

"This looks bad" the nurse said making me wince, she sprayed something on it making my eyes sting with tears. "It's sprained, avoid movement for a few days, take painkillers and go see a doctor if it doesn't get better.

"Damnit" i groaned. "I don't want to miss classes." I explained. "I'll fall behind and the job shifts."

"Pia" Misha said barging in, "what did you do?" She snarled at Abhay and i stared at her in surprise.

"I twisted my ankle mish, he didn't do anything, its sprained." I explained and she shoved him aside to talk to me. "Why are you acting like that?" I asked.

"You don't know?" She asked surprised, "asshole beat up kabir yesterday."

"He was talking shit about my family." Abhay snarled and left the room.

"When was the last time you ate?" She asked ignoring him. "We notice everything Pia you are so tired these days, even mom and dad are worried, you haven't been home for over two weeks, come home."

I was about to say no but a wave of dizziness hit and I ended up nodding.

"Come on Kabir will drop us home" she said and i let her help me up. I immediately yelped and sat back down.